This is a story about the gi design process. This is also a story about an unusual relationship. Fenom Kimonos is a Dallas based company run by Triin, the designer who works for Fenom is Agnes. These two Estonians are childhood friends, one lives in Dallas, the other one in Pärnu, Estonia. A couple of years ago the ladies reconnected and a new professional relationship took off. Two friends living thousands of miles away and working on making classy women’s jiu-jitsu gear, how cool is that?

It all starts with a vague idea, and the most annoying request a designer can get: Make something pretty! Sometimes we know what we want to do, sometimes we know what we definitely do not want to do. This time it started with a desire to do a flower design that stays away from the widely used Asian and Hawaiian influence in BJJ designs. So instead of looking far, we looked at our beautiful Estonian cornflower (rukkilill) and decided to go with the nordic vibe.

The best way to showcase the national flower was to incorporate some folk patterns and our signature F. First it seemed like an impossible task. How can you mix a geometric shape with our curvy F and make it look like a cornflower?

Estonian folk patterns use a lot of geometric shapes and colors, each having a specific and mythological meaning. Even the tiniest islands and counties have their recognizable color scheme and preferred patterns. Mothers have taught their daughters for centuries how to knit, crochet and embroider these patterns, keeping the skills alive. We wanted to honor our mothers’ and grandmothers’ effort, and make something meaningful not just for us, but for all girls and women.

We decided to focus on the octagon (kaheksakand), also known as an eight-pointed star or cross, which is one the most significant and widely used shapes in our patterns. It represents dawn, and a new start, it brings good fortune and protects us, our souls, and our homes.

The designer went to the drawing board and came back with a few design concepts. Some were scrapped right away, couple of more tries and there was something that caught our eye. A few more tweaks and color changes, and three best ones emerged.

We were going back and forth, arguing if light blue or dark blue would look the best in real life on the gi. After we finally picked the two favorites, the design got sent to the factory in Pakistan for the test embroidery. Sometimes the design looks awesome on paper but not so good when embroidered. This time we were pleased with the test and didn’t change anything about the F. The embroidery looked beautiful and delicate, crisp and cool, just like we had hoped for.

More back and forth discussions, since there was no clear winner. Eventually we picked our favorite, drew up the full gi design, added a few more design elements and sent it to the production. Now the waiting started. A few weeks of nail-biting and the prototype was ready! But oh no, something unexpected happened. Contrast stitching…. this was not in the specs! Somehow the factory decided to do blue stitching. After a complete mild panick attack, the more we looked at it, the more we actually liked the contrast stitching. Some mistakes are not all that bad after all!

So there you have it. This is how the whole process works. It looks simple but it’s not easy. It takes between 3-6 months to bring out a new product. Delays are normal, some ideas never make it to the finish line and that is okay too. Over the years we have realized that this is part of the process, you just need to get used to it and not fight it.

Now we are anxiously waiting for the DHL truck to deliver the new gi shipment so we can take product shots, update the website, test the gi out on the mat, and see if it is going to be well received by the customers. We hope you like it. Thank you and stay Powered by She!

Just like every small start-up company out there, we constantly deal with things that go wrong. Everything ranging from product specifications, vendor management and late shipments. Fortunately, we’ve been blessed with a solid base if supportive and happy customers willing to forgive our shortfalls when we drop the ball every now and then.

During our most recent scramble to get orders out, one particular situation stood out from the rest. Melinda Bringham of Virginia ordered a Fenom Lotus Gi for her daughter Becky’s birthday! The women BJJ goddess was in our corner and instructed the United States Postal Office to get the Gi to Becky a few hours before her birthday party!

We thought it was a great story so we asked Becky’s mom Melinda to tell us about her daughter:

Becky has been training for 2 years under Pat Tray of Trident Academy ( www.tridentmma.com ) and has been actively competing since May 2010. She has excelled in the sport very quickly and is now competing in the advanced divisions for her age group. She has competed in Junior Grappling Tournaments ( www.jrgrappling.com ), NAGA, The Good Fight, and US Grappling up and down the east coast. She is an Honor Roll student and also is a member of her middle school volleyball team and wrestling team but still makes time to train for 2 hours sessions 4-5 times a week in her favorite sport of BJJ. She is very lucky to have a few younger girls to train with at Trident Academy but she likes to train with the older boys to sharpen her skills. She has never let gender be a barrier for her. She quietly sets personal goals and has the drive and determination to achieve and excel in everything she does. I have watched my daughter gain self confidence and inner personal strength through her BJJ training. She now has her sights set on the Pan Am Games!

We would like to thank everyone at Fenom Kimono’s for ensuring that the kimono ordered for her 13th birthday arrived only hours before her birthday party! She was thrilled that it fit great and she finally has a kimono that works for her size! Most kimonos are way too wide and too short for her.

As we go through our Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training, it’s so easy to care about things that just don’t matter. We get so caught up in the “sport” aspect of BJJ and forget about the spiritual side of the martial art. We forget to appreciate the internal struggle we face as we experience victory and defeat, and the deep relationships forged as a result of this common ground. These relationships in turn make dealing with life’s hardships a little less painful.

Cheri Muraski of Fort Collins, Colorado reminds us of exactly what is important and she inspires us beyond measure. When we received the nomination email from Cheri’s friend and training partner Rossie Shaffer, we couldn’t wait to share her inspiring story with everyone.

World meet Cheri.

Fenom: Hi Cheri! Tell us about yourself and your BJJ training life. How did you get started? How long have you been training? Where do you train?

Hi my name is Cheri. I’m 31 years old and I train at Mcmahon BJJ in Fort Collins, Colorado and hold the rank of blue-belt. My two sons Ryan and Christian train BJJ. My 9-year old son Ryan started when he was six. My husband started after him, I started after my husband, followed by Christian. I actually was not thinking of training but shortly after Kevin started he came home and said “let me show you this arm bar I just learned” He tackled me and armbared me. (My husband and I have always been competitive with one another) when he armbared me I was unable to get out. Shortly after that happened I signed up. We have been training ever since.

Fenom: How do you balance your regular family life with BJJ? What are some of the challenges and rewards?

We have always been lucky enough to train as a family. The kids classes are scheduled right before the adult class so we are able to just stay there. Kevin had been self-employed and I have been lucky enough to configure my work schedule around class. We were training about 4-5 times a week. Three months ago Kevin passed away suddenly. After he passed I thought I would never be able to return to BJJ. This was something we always did together. I have always felt close to our school but now I consider everyone there family. I can’t even begin to tell you the love and support our family has received. I now train 6 days a week and double up my training 2 out of those 6 days. BJJ is the only thing that helps right now emotionally and physically. My coaches and training partners at Mcmahon BJJ and our sister school Easton BJJ mean the world to me.

Fenom: Do you think all women should compete? Please explain your answer.

I am just starting to get in the competition scene. I have competed three times to date. The most recent event was the Fight to Win tournament in Denver, Colorado where I took first place in Gi and third place in No Gi! I am also planning to compete in Pan Ams this spring. My advise to other women is to train when ever you can and just have fun. I think all women should at least try it once. Step onto the mat without the pressure of winning or loosing. If you win awesome, if you loose you’ll at least know you had the guts to give it a shot.

Fenom: Can you share some of your short and long term goals for your personal BJJ journey and your family?

My long term goal has always been to get my black belt. However without Kevin here I am just trying to make it through the next minute so I can’t really say.

Fenom: If you could name the one thing you love most about training BJJ, what would that be?

Without a doubt, the people. It doesn’t matter if I walk into our school or one of our sister schools, I always feel welcome. The growing women’s BJJ community in our area gives me a whole new way to enjoy the people. We just started a women’s only class on Sundays at Easton BJJ and it is awesome! A special thanks to my coaches Tessa and Finnie McMahon, and Alistair Macdonald for encouraging me to be better.

Fenom: Cheri, thank you for letting us share your story with our readers. You are an inspiration to us all and we’ll be on the look out for you as you rise through the ranks! See you at black belt!

We all know at least one woman in our immediate circle of friends and training partners who brings a positive vibe to our lives. This woman keeps us looking forward to showing up to train as much as possible. Regardless of rank, competition history, or skill level, we believe these women should be applauded and appreciated for just being who they are. We’ve decided to do just that.

Every month Fenom Kimonos will profile a woman selected by her peers in an interview we’ll post on our blog, website and social media channels. We’ll highlight what makes this woman special and send her a free women’s BJJ gi for making our world a better place — on and off the mat. If you know a fenomenal woman, send an email to info@fenomkimonos.com with a short list of reasons why and we’ll take it from there. Here’s a few ideas on what we think makes her fenomenal:

she studies full-time and still makes time to train

she’s married with children and manages to get on the mat

she works full-time or part-time and trains consistently

she helps out with kids class

she helps out beginners and makes them feel welcome

she makes you feel better about yourself immediately after she kicks your butt.

she is a beginner and is a joy to teach.

Bonus idea: she’s an awesome cook 🙂

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